309 W Academy St · Charles Town, WV 25414

$135,000

3 bd · 1.5 ba · 1,780 sqft · SingleFamily public records · 10 Days on market

Built 1928 5,227 sqft lot

---

Why this score? — see what drove the B+ grade

The composite is a weighted blend of 9 inputs, each scored 0–100. Each bar is that input's sub-score; the figure is the points it added to the 100-point composite (weight × sub-score).

• Cash flow +30.0/30.0
• 1% rule +10.0/10.0
• DSCR +10.0/10.0
• ARV discount +7.5/15.0
• Appreciation +6.3/10.0
• Livability +3.8/5.0
• Rent growth +3.6/5.0
• Schools +3.4/10.0
• Condition / age +2.5/5.0

Listing remarks

Investor opportunity just three blocks from downtown Charles Town. Set in a highly walkable location near restaurants, coffee shops, and local shopping, this older home offers a strong starting point for a full renovation project. Sold as-is and in need of a complete rehab, the current layout includes 3 bedrooms and 1.5 baths with a cellar for additional storage. The main level features a large living room, separate dining room, kitchen, half bath, and a laundry mudroom. Upstairs, the home is configured with 3 bedrooms, 1 full bath, and a bonus sunroom that could serve as an office, reading room, or flexible workspace. Public water and sewer are in place, and high-speed internet is availabl

Key facts

• 5,227 sq ft lot
• Built 1928
• Listed 10 days

Property features AI

Exterior

• Parking: On-street parking
• Utilities: Public water; Public sewer; Electric hot water
• Home design: Detached property; Faces northwest
• Construction: Aluminum siding; Shingle roof; Permanent foundation; Major rehab needed; Built year per assessor
• Exterior features: Porch(es); Exterior lighting; Cleared, level lot with rear yard; Not in development

Interior

• Kitchen: Kitchen (appliances not specified)
• Bedrooms: Three bedrooms on the upper level
• Flooring: Hardwood; Vinyl
• Bathrooms: One full bathroom; One half bathroom on the main level
• Heating & cooling: Radiator heating; Oil-fired heating fuel
• Interior features: Traditional floor plan with formal/separate dining room; Wood floors; No basement
• Laundry & utility: Hot water is electric

What this means for you Summary

Snapshot

• This is a 3-bed/1.5-bath single-family listed at $135k.

Deal economics

• At list price, monthly cash flow is $912 ($11k/yr) — positive.
• The deal already cash-flows at list — no discount required.
• Meets the 1% rule at list price ($2k rent vs $135k).
• Cap rate 14.4% vs local median 3.5% in Charles Town — top-decile yield for the area; either an underpriced asset or a hidden risk that comps aren't pricing in. Stress-test before assuming the spread holds.

Location & tenants

• Location reads 76/100 on livability (#22 in WV, #3,460 nationally) — a middle-class / working-renter tenant base. Strengths: crime A+, housing A+, health & safety A+; Watch: schools D+, amenities D+, commute F.
• Jefferson County Schools (rural): math 29% / reading 46% proficiency, ranked #6 of 55 in WV (top 11%) — families likely to look elsewhere, expect single-tenant / working-renter base with shorter leases.
• Market conditions: Rents rising fast (+4.3%/yr); 392 active listings in the ZIP; 5 comparable units currently listed for rent nearby; rentals at typical pace (median 22d on market — plan ~3-4 weeks tenant-placement turnaround); solid renter incomes; 1,162 units permitted in Jefferson County in 2024 (360 in 5+ unit buildings).

Forward outlook

• In year one you build about $5k of equity ($933 loan paydown + $4k appreciation (2.7% local appreciation)).
• Jefferson County population projected at +13% by 2050 — modest demand growth; plan on rents tracking national, not racing it.
• At projected returns (2.7% appreciation + 4.3% rent growth), your $38k cash investment doubles in ~3 years — after that, you're playing with house money.
• By year 8, paydown + projected appreciation supports a ~$34k cash-out refi (75% LTV) — recoverable capital for the next deal without selling this one.

Negotiation context

• Only 10 days on market — expect competitive offers; lowballing is unlikely to land.

Risks & watch-outs

• Watch-outs: built in 1928 — expect roof / HVAC / electrical / plumbing capex.
• Climate carrying-cost: extreme-heat days projected 7→16/yr by 2055 (HVAC capex compounding) — expect insurance premiums to compound above CPI over the hold.

Recommended offer $135,000

Questions for the listing agent

1. Built in 1928 — when were the roof, HVAC, electrical panel, plumbing, and water heater last replaced?
2. Is there a deadline driving the sale (1031 exchange, divorce, estate, relocation)? That informs how much negotiation room exists.
3. Schools are D-rated, which usually means shorter tenancies and higher turnover. Who's the typical renter profile here, and what's been the actual vacancy rate?
4. What's the average days-on-market for RENTAL listings here right now (not sales)? A rising rental-DOM trend means longer vacancies and softer asking-rent achievability than the comps imply.
5. What's the recent tenant-quality profile in this submarket — average credit score on applications, eviction rate, late-payment / NSF rate, and stable-employment percentage? A property-management company in the area should have these aggregated.
6. How much new for-sale + rental construction is in the pipeline within 1–3 miles? Heavy new supply typically softens prices + rents 12–24 months out; constrained supply supports both.

Investment metrics

• 1% rule: 1.78% ✓
• Cap rate: 14.40%
• Cash-on-cash: 28.97%
• DSCR: 2.29
• GRM: 4.7

CMA / ARV

• ARV (on-the-fly): $370,240
• Comps found: 12

Show comp detail 12 sales within ~0.75 mi

Address	Dist	Beds/Ba	Sqft	Sold	Price	$/sf	Match
309 W Academy St	0.00mi	3/1.5	1,780 (0%)	0mo	$140,000	$79	100
318 W Liberty St	0.25mi	3/2.5	1,800 (+1%)	6mo	$310,000	$172	77
121 Spring Dale Dr	0.33mi	3/1.0	1,804 (+1%)	5mo	$310,000	$172	76
102 Weirick Row	0.07mi	3/2.0	1,556 (-13%)	1mo	$343,700	$221	73
412 S Samuel St	0.23mi	3/2.0	1,986 (+12%)	2mo	$285,000	$144	66
106 Weiricks Row	0.08mi	3/2.0	1,556 (-13%)	9mo	$354,900	$228	66
511 South Church St	0.42mi	3/2.0	1,934 (+9%)	7mo	$400,000	$207	58
13 Onyx Ln	0.34mi	3/2.5	1,538 (-14%)	3mo	$350,000	$228	55
7 Onyx Ln	0.34mi	3/2.5	1,538 (-14%)	4mo	$349,900	$228	54
329 N Mildred St	0.50mi	3/1.0	1,560 (-12%)	2mo	$325,000	$208	52
99 Nathaniel Dr	0.56mi	3/2.5	1,552 (-13%)	4mo	$355,000	$229	45
306 W 6th Ave	0.74mi	3/1.5	1,576 (-12%)	6mo	$240,000	$152	41

Match score weights: distance 35% · size 25% · config 20% · recency 20%. Top-matched comps best support the ARV.

Projected returns pro-forma

2.67% appreciation · 4.35% rent growth · sell at horizon

5-year hold

• IRR: 35.5%
• Equity multiple: 3.00×
• Total profit: $75,453
• Equity at exit: $58,245

10-year hold

• IRR: 36.7%
• Equity multiple: 6.17×
• Total profit: $195,257
• Equity at exit: $87,898

Cash invested: $37,800 (down + closing). Projections, not guarantees.

Landlord ↔ Tenant lean methodology

• Overall (STATE): 83 Strongly Landlord-Friendly
• State West Virginia: 83 Strongly Landlord-Friendly · R+22
• County: — inherits STATE
• City: — inherits STATE

Landlord-favorable; preempted; minimal protections.

Methodology + full state rankings →

ZIP-level market 25414

• Home prices YoY: 0.9%
• Rents YoY: 4.3%
• Active inventory: 392
• Price-to-rent: 4.7×

Monthly cashflow live

• Estimated rent: $2,408 high
• Mortgage (P&I): −$708
• Tax from tax record: −$226 /mo · $2,708/yr
• Insurance: −$56
• HOA: −$0
• Vacancy / Maint / Mgmt: −$506
• Net cashflow: $912

Break-even live

Break-even rent $1,253

Max offer price $135,000

Occupancy floor 57%

Sensitivity live

Price	-10% $989	-5% $951	+0% $912	+5% $874	+10% $836
Rent	-10% $722	-5% $817	+0% $912	+5% $1,008	+10% $1,103
Rate	-1.0pp $980	-0.5pp $947	base $912	+0.5pp $877	+1.0pp $842

UW: 25.0% down · 7.5% · 30yr · 1.5% tax · 5.0% vac · 8.0% maint · 8.0% mgmt

Financing live

Cash to close

• Down payment: $33,750
• Closing costs: $4,050
• Reserves months: —
• Total cash needed: —

Rent comps 5 comps

Address	Beds	Baths	Sqft	Rent	$/sqft	DOM	Units	Dist
115 Bell Tower Ln Charles Town, WV	4.0	2.5	2223	$2,600	$1.17	3d	1	0.91mi
95 Dunlap Dr Charles Town, WV	3.0	2.5	2400	$2,200	$0.92	25d	1	1.02mi
48 Holmes Dr Charles Town, WV	3.0	2.5	2550	$1,995	$0.78	21d	1	1.06mi
214 Gumspring Dr Charles Town, WV	4.0	2.5	2148	$2,500	$1.16	21d	1	1.16mi
109 Extrovert Dr Charles Town, WV	3.0	4.0	2290	$2,450	$1.07	25d	1	1.37mi

Listing history 2 events

1. 2026-05-21
   listed $135,000 Active
2. 2026-05-20
   historical $135,000

ⓘ Source: listings_history table (triggers on properties + properties_extension) + one-shot backfill from property_details.listing_events for pre-trigger history.

Tax reassessment forecast WV · Resets to sale price

• Current annual tax: $2,708 · $226/mo
• Projected year-2 tax: $2,708 · $226/mo
• Expected delta: $0/yr ($0/mo · 0.0%)

ⓘ Screening estimate from a state-policy table — verify with the county assessor before closing.

Climate risk First Street

• 🌊 Flood 1/10 Low FEMA zone X (unshaded) · 0% chance over 30 yrs
• 🔥 Wildfire 1/10 Low
• 🌡 Heat 6/10 Major 7 d/yr ≥102°F today · 16 d/yr by 30 yrs out
• 💨 Wind 2/10 Low 2% chance of damaging wind over 30 yrs
• 🫁 Air quality 2/10 Low 1 unhealthy d/yr today · 1 by 30 yrs out

Taxation est. · year 1

• Rental income: $28,896
• − Mortgage interest: −$7,562
• − Property taxes: −$2,708
• − Insurance: −$675
• − Repairs & maintenance: −$2,312
• − Management: −$2,312
• − Depreciation: −$3,927
• Taxable income: $9,400
• Est. tax owed @ 24.0%: −$2,256
• After-tax cash flow: $8,693/yr

For passive investors: Depreciation is non-cash, so a rental often shows a tax loss while cash-flowing — sheltering income. Rental losses are passive: they offset passive income freely, and up to $25,000/yr can offset ordinary (W-2) income if you actively participate and your MAGI is under $100k (phasing out to $0 by $150k); unused losses carry forward. On sale, claimed depreciation is recaptured at up to 25%, and gains may owe capital-gains tax (a 1031 exchange can defer both). Figures are a year-1 estimate at your 24.0% rate — not tax advice; consult a CPA.

Schools (NCES district)

• District: Jefferson County Schools
• NCES district ID: 5400570
• Math proficiency: 29% ▼ -13.00%
• Reading proficiency: 46% ▼ -7.00%
• Median HH income: $67,038
• Composite: 33.98/100
• National rank: #5322
• State rank: #6 of 55 in WV

Livability — Charles Town

• Score: 76/100
• State rank: #22
• US rank: #3460

Category grades

Amenities D+ Commute F Cost of living B- Crime A+ Employment B+ Housing A+ Health & safety A+ User ratings A+

Schools grade is shown separately in the Schools card above.

Census & demographics

• Census place: Charles Town, WV
• County: Jefferson County · 28,403 people
• City population: 21,073
• Metro: Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV
• Population (ZIP): 21,073
• Household income: $105,500
• Rent vs Own: 22.9% rent · 77.1% own
• Severe rent burden: 290.0

Population outlook (Jefferson County) Hauer SSP2

• Today (2025): 61,715 people
• By 2030: 64,052 · +3.8%
• By 2040: 67,713 · +9.7%
• By 2050: 69,843 · +13.2%
• By 2075: 72,679 · +17.8%
• By 2100: 71,872 · +16.5%

Race, ethnicity, and origin ACS 2023

• Neighborhood character: Predominantly White (78%)
• Race & ethnicity: White 78% Two or more races 10% Black 7% Hispanic / Latino 7% Asian 1%
• Hispanic origin (detail): Mexican 2% Puerto Rican 1%
• Common ancestry: Romanian 3% Slovak 2% Lithuanian 2%
• Foreign-born: 5% · Canada, Jamaica
• Languages at home: 93% English-only · Spanish 5% Other Indo-European 1%

Political lean MEDSL · Jefferson

• 2024 margin: R (+15.8) · D 41.0% · R 56.8% · Other 2.1%
• 2008→2024 swing: -20.6pp toward R · 2008: 4.8pp · 2024: -15.8pp
• All cycles: 2024: R+15.8 2020: R+10.5 2016: R+15.3 2012: R+4.0 2008: D+4.8

Not yet ingested

• Civics: —

Market trends

• HPI YoY: ▲ 2.67%
• Current HPI: 296.8007
• Rent YoY: ▲ 4.35%
• Metro: Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV
• State GDP YoY: —
• F500 in state: 0

Price history

+0.0% since first listed

2 events — show timeline

• 2026-05-21 Listed $135,000 BRIGHT MLS
• 2026-05-20 Coming Soon $135,000 BRIGHT MLS

Property tax history

+3.7%/yr

Latest (2025): $2,708 · +14.0% YoY. Source: county tax records.